The Railroad Baron's Daughter
by MelancholyMemories
Summary: A Cowboy AU in which the world's most unpredictable cowboy falls for a shy heiress. Oneshot.


**I wrote this because I love the Naruto Cowboy AU and there isn't enough of it. I also wasn't very big on the idea of Hinata being a Native American so I changed her role up. And may I say, bless southern Hiashi Hyuga's heart.**

 **I don't own Naruto and thank God because my writing needs work.**

 **The Railroad Baron's Daughter**

One look was all it took for Naruto to know he was in big trouble. There was no way the woman before him wasn't an angel. Hidden beneath her navy bonnet were eyes pale like moonlit nights, flesh whiter than fresh milk, and long indigo hair reaching all the way down to her bustle. Even with her corset, Naruto could see she was a bit curvy but with a delicate frame. She was frailness and strength all wrapped into one, and she was graced with beauty that could only be bestowed to her by God himself. So, why oh why, in heaven's name, did she have to be the Railroad Baron's daughter?

As though hearing his thoughts…

"You! Cowboy! C'mover here!" the voice of Hiashi Hyuga rang over the grunts and groans of the railroad workers.

It took a moment for Naruto to realize that the command had been directed at him. He whipped his head around to face the Baron whose fierce eyes bore holes into him. He beckoned to Naruto once more.

Said boy gulped. Had he caught him staring at his daughter?

"Great..." Naruto mumbled to himself.

This was only supposed to be a temporary job to make some quick cash before heading back out into the dessert again, there was no room for mistakes. But the world's most unpredictable cowboy was always managing to get himself into trouble.

The whiskered blonde shared a quick glance with his comrade Sasuke who was busy unloading steel from one of the wagons. Sasuke returned it with a quick shrug and nod of his head, suggesting Naruto follow orders. So, Naruto then began his walk over to the older Hyuga, trying to seem as calm and collected as possible. Perhaps there was a way to talk himself out of this. He always was a good talker.

Looping his finger through a belt buckle he tugged at his pants before he walked right up to the baron, tipped his hat and said, "What can I do you for, sir?"

From the scowl he received, Naruto instantly braced himself for a scolding. Whatever this man wanted, it couldn't be good. He steeled his resolve, keeping his gaze firm.

"Listen to me, son. I'm not a big fan of your kind. I know what you are, a looter and a vagabond if there ever was one. The only reason I let you and your friends work is because I need this railroad done as quick as possible, so that I don't lose out on my investments. You understand?"

Naruto bit his tongue to avoid a foul remark. "Yes, sir."

"However," the baron continued, "I have some more work to do here before the sun sets tonight, and my carriage won't arrive back until then. I need someone to take my daughter back to town, and most of these old timers don't know how to ride a damn horse."

Naruto froze for a moment. Did he just...

"Sir, are you asking me to take your daughter back into town?"

The Hyuga steeled and raised a brow, "Is that a problem son?"

"No sir," the blonde cowboy replied bowing his head and stealing a glance at the blushing heiress. "No problem at all."

"Very well then. I assume you brought your own horse?"

"Yes sir."

"Good," he nodded.

The blonde cowboy took that at his cue to leave, but before Naruto could walk away the older man had seized him by the collar. Naruto was now nose to nose with pure fury.

"Now you listen cowboy, and you listen good. If you lay a hand on her, if you try to run with her, or if any harm should come to her, I will make sure that your face is on every wanted poster in every county for three hundred miles around, and I'll do it before you can even load your pistol. So don't even think about trying anything funny. You understand me, boy?"

Naruto swallowed back a little bit of bile in his throat. His blue eyes found their death in the grey intensity of the man above him before he finally agreed with a raspy, "Understood, sir."

Hiashi stared him down once more before releasing his collar with a small push. "Get to it then."

And he walked away.

After quickly saddling up, Naruto helped the small Hyuga girl onto his horse. She sat in a modest sidesaddle, very proper of a lady. He swung himself up and over, careful not to rattle her too much. However he could feel he practically jump at the proximity.

Despite him telling her to hold on, she was very timid to do so. She had indeed wrapped her arms around him, but her hold was loose, and he noticed she was blushing a furious shade of red. Yet, as they took off from the railroad site and began to scale some bumpy terrain, her grip steadily grew tighter on him, and she pressed herself slightly more into his back. Naruto didn't mind in the least. In fact one might even say he'd planned it.

The railroad site had been located higher in the plains, and the two kept quietly to themselves as Naruto managed to get them through some difficult parts of the trek, but as the road grew smooth, and the night drew on, the silence began to grown uncomfortable. After a long bated breath, Naruto cleared his throat and spoke.

"What's your name, miss?"

The girl behind him jumped a little. His voice, after such an acrid silence, had startled her a bit.

"Ah," he heard her small voice squeak. "H-Hinata. Hinata Hyuga."

The timber of her voice was like music to Naruto, so beautiful like whispering bells. It was so adorable that Naruto turned back to look at her in awe. Could anyone's voice be so cute? It was so tiny and soft he had to make sure he heard her.

"Come again?" he asked of her.

Hinata, catching a glimpse of his brilliant blue eyes, turned a glorious shade of pink as she stuttered out once more. "M-my name is Hinata Hyuga."

Oh yes, what a beautiful voice, and such a lovely name...

"Hinata, eh? Well, the name's Naruto Uzumaki! At your service, ma'am." He let go of the reigns to tip his hat and wink at her, causing her face to turn as red as cactus flower.

"I-it's nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Hyuga."

"P-please, do call me Hinata."

He only chuckled at that, a deep throaty chuckle that sent a chill up her spine.

"Do you always stutter?" he teased.

Hinata was glad he'd looked back to the road agin, so that he couldn't see her very obvious embarrassment.

"It's a terrible habit. Father hates that I do it. T-thankfully, I've improved a great deal, but it still happens every once in a while. I do my best to hide it, b-but it doesn't always work."

Naruto smiled at her, "Well, if you don't mid me saying so, I think it's rather charming."

Hinata shook her head in disagreement, "I don't think a nervous habit is very charming at all."

"You seem to be pretty confident about that."

"Why do you say that?" Hinata looked at him confused.

The cowboy gave a confident shrug.

"Because you didn't stutter."

Her face grew red once again. If any more blood rushed to her head she may faint. She silently prayed that wouldn't happen, as she'd grown out of that habit a long time ago.

Before the silence could envelop them again, Naruto quickly turned to another conversation.

"So, miss, a railroad heiress, huh?"

She simply nodded.

"Mind me askin' what it's like?"

Hinata gave him a look of confusion.

"What is what like?"

"Being rich, I mean."

"O-oh," she shrugged it off, "it isn't all that they make it out to be. R-really. "

She heard him chuckle again, "Yeah, that's what all the rich people say."

The meek girl wasn't sure how to reply to that.

"So why'd he have you out there with him today, huh? Your father, I mean. A pretty girl like you shouldn't be coming all the way out in the dessert like this."

Hinata almost fainted. Had he called her pretty? She took a deep breath before she answered, "F-Father wants me to learn the trade. He has no male heirs to his fortune, and he is hoping that I might be able to take over his investments someday."

"I see." The cowboy paused a moment. "And what do you think about all that?"

"I- well, I'm not sure yet," Hinata answered truthfully.

"Fair enough," he replied.

"What about you?" Hinata inquired of him, gaining some courage. "What were you doing out there? You're a cowboy aren't you? An outlaw?"

"I don't know about an outlaw," Naruto explained sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "But a traveling cowboy, yes. I kinda go where the wind takes me, but I need money you see. So me and my pals, we sort of pick up odd jobs here and there to make a buck or two. We saw an ad in your saloon and decided to earn some money."

"You travel in a band, then?"

"Eh, sorta," he explained scratching the tuft of hair sticking from under his hat. "There's only four of us all together. Kakashi is our leader, and then Sasuke and I are old pals, we've been traveling together for years. Then there's Sakura, she's our nurse and survival guide. Can't tell you how many scraps we've made it out of because of her. From bar brawls, to rattlesnake bites, to gunshot wounds...you name it Sakura's probably saved me from it."

"G-gunshot wounds?!" the Hinata exclaimed.

"Yeah..." Naruto trailed, "That's a long story. I won't bore you with that tale"

"I see."

Hinata admiring the mountains of sand and sunset skies, sighed dreamily. "How lovely it must be for you to travel the world."

"I don't know about the world," Naruto laughed. "But we've seen most of the desert and all the dusty plains and little towns it has to offer."

"And what do you think of our little town?" the pale eyed beauty asked of him curiously.

"Well, it's a little old fashioned. The people are rude and even a little nosy. Your saloon has horrible beer and even worse tasting whiskey. And worst of all, I can't move five feet without hearing someone talk about the railroad or investments but..." He turned to look at her once more, and with a slow small smile he gently said to her, "I do think your town has some of the prettiest women I've ever laid eyes on."

Hinata froze in time. Her world stopped. Did he truly mean...

"Well, we're here."

Hinata suddenly realized the horse had stopped. She looked up to see the large fence enclosing the myriad of wooden white picket houses she called home. Sure enough, they had made it to the gates of the town.

"Oh," she exclaimed disappointedly. Must it really be over so soon?

Naruto tugged on the reigns to start moving again, "If you direct me to your house, I can drop you off there."

"No," Hinata shook her head, albeit against her will. "No, it's fine. I can walk the rest of the way. It's just past the gates, and you should really head back before sundown."

"Oh please, I insist," Naruto pleaded.

Hinata giggled, but slid off the horse nonetheless. She patted his matted brown mane and stole a look up at his owner. "Thank you, but I don't mind walking. I enjoy it; it lets me think."

Naruto couldn't hide the disappointment that all but crept onto his face "Are you sure?"

The Hyuga heiress smiled sadly and nodded. "Y-Yes, but it was wonderful to meet you."

"Not as wonderful as it was to meet you, miss."

"P-please call me Hinata. I insist."

"Well then, Hinata, it was a pleasure."

He saw a blush light up her face agin. She tucked a strand of her behind her ear and bowed her head low.

"W-well, Naruto, I hope you have a lovely night and safe travels," she bid him as she turned to leave.

"Wait!"

Hinata's head whipped back around. Grey eyes met blue and both worlds stopped for a minute. Time passed with only the light breeze of the wind to battle with the sound of their beating hearts.

Finally, Naruto swung his leg over his horse, jumping down to walk over to her. Yet once he'd reached her they only stared at each other once more, too caught up in the moment. Not wanting to say goodbye.

Hinata was the one to finally break the silence.

"Yes?"

"I-," he stumbled, "I leave in the morning, but I'd like to buy you a drink tonight. In fact, I'd like to buy you a drink every time I come back to this shitty town if you'll let me."

Had she heard him correctly?

"You- you'll come back?"

He nodded.

"But you hate it here."

"I know."

He was such a mystery to her. She furrowed he brow.

"But why?"

"To see you. Only for you. Only if you want me too."

It was so earnest Hinata's heart skipped a beat, and once again the two stood in still silence, in desperate longing of one another.

"I...I want you to," Hinata resolved finally.

"Do you mean it?"

"O-of course!"

Naruto cupped her face in his hands as he searched her eyes for her answer.

"I can't promise you anything. I'm a poor wanderer, a orphan boy who rides with the sun, but my god, I'll come back a thousand times to know you'd be here."

"Of course."

He paused for a moment before giving her a sly grin, "Your father will kill me."

She smiled, "T-then we'd better make this quick."

"Drinks then?"

She nodded, with her small, confident smile, as without a tremor she agreed.

"Drinks it is."

They drank that night in quiet splendor, soaking in their company and basking in the other's presence. The night came and went too quickly, and soon a month passed. Finally, he did indeed return for another drink and the pleasure of her sweet company before he was once more gone with the morning. Yet he would come back- again, and again, and again, always keeping to his word. Naruto would continue to revisit the town a thousand times more to drink terrible whiskey and steal kisses from the Railroad Baron's daughter.


End file.
